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AUTOSERUM FOR HERPES SIMPLEX, SUBCUTANEOUS - 41A6
Thomas [41A6] reported on a case of herpes simplex recurring at different sites on the body over a period of 12 years, involving during that time the arms, shoulders, flanks, buttocks, thighs and external genitalia. Apparent cure was obtained by subcutaneous injections of autoserum.
When material from a typical 3-day-old lesion was inoculated into the cornea of a rabbit, it developed typical symptoms of keratitis and encephalitis, taken by Thomas as a demonstration of the presence of herpes virus. However, repeated attempts at autoinoculation with the contents of the herpetic vesicles both by intracutaneous injection and after scarification of the skin were unsuccessful. Culture of the vesicle contents and use of the Gram stain revealed no organisms.

"It was then decided to attempt desensitization by injections of autoserum according to the method of Gerber, as described by Urbach in connection with the treatment of menstrual dermatoses." Blood was drawn at the height of an attack of herpes, and serum separated by centrifugation and stored in sterile ampule vials with tricresol as preservative. Twice weekly .2cc intracutaneous injections, at the same site for 4 successive injections, over 10 weeks with 3 different batches of autoserum, were employed. During the first month of treatment, 3 outbreaks of lesions occurred, one in the second and third, an attack of grip in the fourth, and a final mild herpes attack in the fifth; patient was free of lesions for the subsequent one-year period.

[It is noted that Rosenow had referred to the increased presence of antigen during disease exacerbations, which would thus provide the rationale for autohemotherapy as clearly comprising autovaccinetherapy at such a time.]